Human Rights
by darknightstalker
Summary: When Loki discovers one of his children being tortured by HYDRA, he calls upon the Avengers to help him. But when Harry has lost the memories of ever being a godling, how does the already hurt father help heal both himself and his child. TRIGGER WARNING: contains brief descriptions of violence, torture, abuse and human experimentation.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The scientist's coats were covered in blood. They lay in a pool of their own red life, their eyes looking longingly towards their laboratory. Loki hadn't considered killing them at first; he had planned on being in and out without any casualties or any notice. Then he had seen what they had been doing and his rage had been dangerous. He didn't regret hurting them; he would kill them a million times if he had the opportunity.

Their lab was a mess bloody of medical tools and medical notes hung taped up all over the wall. A picture of a young man laying naked, his chest cut open. Loki growled low in his throat at the sight, those stupid mortals had injured, _tortured_ , an Asgardian. And this was unforgivable!

He glided through the hallways of the lab, opening every door he could find, any clue of where they were keeping the immortal.

He kicked open a fourth door, his magic flaring up in joy as the door flew off its hinges. The room inside was dark, and only the rattle of chains and raspy breathing could be heard from inside the black pit. Loki hesitated for a moment; the blackness was similar to The Void, and for that he hesitated. After a deep breath, he stepped inside the blackness, willing a tiny flame into existence.

In the centre of the room, trapped inside a glass box, was the man from the picture. His head was shaved on one side and a myriad of stitches covered the patches where hair should have grown long. The other side was a filthy matted mess of inky black hair. His wrists stretched above him, holding him high enough that he couldn't quite rest comfortably. He was resting as best he could given the circumstances, but his breathing was labored and his bare chest showed the fresh stitches from the last round of experiments. His ribs were poking at his skin; the thin flesh was stretched over the bones like the mortal cling film over a bowl of soup.

Loki shattered the glass without a thought and approached the child. He was quiet; startling the boy could send him into a panic. And could ultimately kill him.

"Oh Norns, what have those monsters done to you?" Loki lifted the young mans face for a better glimpse at who he was dealing with, it could have been anyone from the lower cities to the high courts. He stared at the boys face in horror. This couldn't be… He was dead… Odin had killed him himself…

"This can't be true…" With a cry of rage the chains snapped from the ceiling, narrowly avoiding hitting their prisoner in the head. Loki cradled the boy close, tears dripping freely from his eyes. The boy's eyes opened slowly. They were glassy and were barely aware of whoever was holding him. The rattle in his chest as he breathed seemed to have eased a little, but he still gasped for ore air. There was almost nothing he could do for the boy, save take him to Asgard. And that wasn't an option.

"Thor." The fallen prince whispered. Perhaps, he was his only hope. But the stubborn pig headed Bilgesnipe wouldn't trust him, wouldn't help him. Unless…

"Loki! End this madness!" Thor cried as he took a swipe at another illusion. Ahead Stark was blasting away another one of Doom's failed robots. The green berserker let out a wild shout and looked around for more bots to smash.

"Thor? You think Loki is here?" The captain inquired over the earpiece, he sounded worried. Doom was bad enough without adding Loki into the mix. But so far magic and technology weren't really good together on Midgard.

"If he is, I get first dibs." Barton growled from where he was perched atop a large office building. The team shared a small laugh before Stark dispatched the last flying menace. Then the illusion appeared again. Only he was different. His armour was soaked in blood.

"You'd better get here quickly Avengers. _He doesn't have much time left!_ " The traitor hissed, baring his teeth in a parody of a smile. "Lets see if you can find me before Death finds him." Then the illusion was gone, vanishing into this air. Thor gnashed his teeth in frustration. They had just finished with Doom and now Loki was showing his traitorous face. He had sworn to protect Midgard and all its inhabitants, but Loki was still his brother, who he had also sworn to protect.

"Stark." He turned to the genius almost desperately.

"Already on it. JARVIS?"

"He is in a SHIELD funded research hospital sir. The basement it appears." The AI intoned, "But I would be careful sirs. Loki's energy signals were easier to read than they were last time. I have run the numbers and they indicate a possible trap." Steve and Natasha only nodded solemnly. They could handle this, they all could. Loki was on his own this time. He had no army, no Chitauri and no outside help. This would drain the last reserved of their energy, but it would be easier than the last time they had faced each other.

The hospital was already desecrated. Four dead security guards at the door, and six scientists in the basement. The room was bloody. Loki had wasted no time on torturing the agents apparently. Tony whistled in astonishment. The captain didn't fair much better.

"I don't recognize any of these researchers. None of them have authentic SHIELD badges, they're close, but not real." Barton remarked, examining one of the dead men.

Natasha stepped over one of the corpses, her guns ready to fire.

"Well, well, well. What has the cat dragged in? A little spider and a bird? How wonderful." The group spun around, Loki's voice echoed from down one of the hallways. Thor frowned. He seemed worried, anxious. Not his usual arrogant, cocky nature.

"Enough with the tricks Loki. Come out and face us like a-"

"Like a fool? I though you knew me better than that Thor." They entered a room; the door had been blown off its hinges. Quickly they noticed the small flame flickering in the center of the room, illuminating Loki as he cradled the body of a young man close to his chest.

"I don't like to make bets where I know I won't win. Which is why he is the only reason I called for you." The fallen prince had tear streaks on his cheeks and his armor was as drenched in blood as his illusion.

"Now are you going to just stand there or will you be calling the needed authorities?"

Doctor Helen Cho was currently working her magic on the injured young man in the medical bay of the Tower. The list of his injuries was extensive and he had almost moved on three times. Though the avengers were in a state of fear and hope towards him, they were baffled at Loki's odd behavior. He had sat in the growing puddle of blood as the Avengers gawked at the situation. His fingers had stroked through the injured young mans' hair in a comforting manner, and his eyes softened whenever he looked at the boy. But his face was pale and his fingers were shaky. There was fear in is eyes as he watched the super heroes examine them.

He was currently being held in the Hulks containment room, and from the live feed JARVIS was playing in the living room, he wasn't doing anything towards trying to escape. He was worrying his lip in between his teeth as he paced back and forth across the area of his temporary cell. It was plain to see that he was worried, afraid even. Steve looked almost sick as he stood up from the couch.

"I suppose we had better go find out what Loki wants then?" He was usually so confident, but the gods' odd behaviour really threw him off. Loki was usually so predictable, but this was different from his usual M.O. that it was almost disturbing. Barton only cracked his knuckles and watched the sorcerer with hatred in his eyes. Tony poured himself a glass of alcohol and stood from his spot on the couch.

"I'll talk to him. You guys try to find out who the kid is." The billionaire was gone only seconds later.

"I really don't understand that guy." Steve muttered.

"Same as the rest of us then." Clint was trying to lighten the mood, but the others only smiled shallowly before turning back to the monitor to watch as Tony confronted Loki.

"Why did you surrender to us?" Tony asked glibly, "That wasn't the smartest thing to do in your case."

"As I said before. I don't make bets I know I can't win."

"Was New York a first then?" Loki let out a sharp laugh. Tony frowned in surprise; he hadn't been expecting that response.

"Foolish mortal. You think I lost that bet?" The raven-haired god chuckled, " I may not have conquered Midgard, but I wasn't the one that lost anything." The two stood in silence for a moment. Tony contemplating what he had learned and Loki lost in his thoughts.

"I waited for you yesterday because I couldn't risk his life. He is more important that every world in Yggdrasil's branches. If you let him die, there is a greater chance that I will end your pathetic lives than if I had never found him." Tony watched him through narrowed eyes, trying to judge whether he was speaking the truth or not.

"Now tell me, _Iron Man,_ " Loki spat, " _Is my son_ alive?"

TBC

 **A/N: Here is the answer to my Poll. The idea of Harry being an Asgardian that HYDRA experimented on won by 75%. S here you go, hope you enjoyed.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The gathered super heroes had their jaws on the floor. Loki's child? Thor looked further troubled, his heavy eyebrows furrowed.

"This is troubling indeed friends. Loki has not been in contact with any of his children since before Midgard became a player in the nine realms." Thor revealed, his blue eyes piercing the rest of his shield brothers. "His anger will be great if we separate the two again."

The Avengers stiffened. Loki on a good day was bad enough, but Loki on a protective streak would be worse. Clint groaned internally. Having one Loki was more than enough two would be impossible. The doors to the elevator opened, Bruce and Helen Cho stepped into the briefing room, blood still on their clothing.

"He's stable, finally. But we will have to keep an eye on him. By the looks of things, he's been cut open a lot. We suspect vivisection." The news was bad enough without the doctor's report. The possibility of the young man being subject to medical torture was difficult to wrap their heads around. Steve poured himself a drink.

"We have received news that the kid is Loki's son. They were separated for millennia before now." Natasha filled their teammate in, her thoughts warring with her training. On one hand, they could handle things here on their own. On the other, Fury needed to know that there were now three Asgardians on his planet.

"Oh. Which one?" Clint looked at Bruce in the hopes of it being a joke. If Loki had more than one demon spawn, he would shoot the alien.

"Which _one?"_ He hissed, pointing his fork at the gentle giant, almost threatening.

"Well, yeah. Mythology shows that he had at least six. There may have been more." The gathered heroes groaned collectively. There were possibly six others, six that could make a move to support their father.

"Thor is this true? Are there more of his children?"

"Indeed, Loki has five others. But they are no threat. Sleiphner remains in Asgard, he serves as my fathers' steed. Jormangandr and Fenrir are bound in monstrous forms to a single location, far separated from each other and unable to leave. Hela rules in Helheim as the queen of the dead, and Vali and Narfi have both perished in their younger years." Thor intoned softly, his thick voice leaving no room for misinterpretation. The children were mourned, missed and loved by Loki and his adopted family. Loki loved his children, and they loved him, but they would not come to his aid.

* * *

Tony stood calmly in front of the glass. The Asgardian exile looked both enraged and fearful at the same time. Tony observed him carefully. The god was haggard looking and his clothes were covered in the blood of the boy they had brought in, his son. It seemed odd, the idea that Loki had a child, several children if his mythology was correct.

"So which one is he?" Tony asked glibly, trying to seem nonchalant about the whole situation.

"What?" Loki frowned slightly, most might have missed it if they weren't standing so close to the glass of the prison.

"Which son is he? You know, the horse, the snake and the wolf. Or the other wolf. I think, was that right? There were two wolves?" Loki took a calm step away from the glass. His face was a mask of control, but his frame was shaking with pure rage. His hands clenched into fists at his side.

"Do not dare to speak of my children in this way again. Should you ever refer to my children as monsters, I will cut you lungs from your body… and shove them through your nose into your stomach." Loki hissed his voice had gone quiet, almost silent. But Tony heard him clearly, the imagery conjured made him pale slightly before straightening himself out. He inclined his head slightly, a short bow that showed the apology without having to voice it aloud.

"The one you have in your custody is Vali. The other wolf as you so eloquently put it." The admission was almost a physical blow. The young one there had ripped his own brother apart, then in grief, fled to the wilds of Asgard before throwing itself into the void in hopes of death and repentance. A tragedy by any sense of the word.

"Now, is he currently living or do I have to tear this world apart with my bare hands?"

* * *

There was no pain in the Void, just emptiness. But he was not in the void. He was not in Helheim with his beloved sister, feasting in the halls of the dead or reunited with dearest Narfi. Nor was he in the hell of metal and stale, sterile smells where blue and clean white hands brought the touch of death to you, but never let you rest in peace.

He could feel warmth under his fingers as well as softness on his face. He was in pain, but not as intense. It would not be long now then. The white coat men would come with their cold hands touching and taking, their eyes cold and calculating the amount they could force a scream from his throat. Then the man in the black suit, his face old and wrinkled and unfeeling. Then the pain in his head would come and he would feel memories slipping away until only green eyes remained. Then it would be the void.

People were talking around him, some in quick rushed sentences and others too far under their breath to be heard, but he could hear it all. He always had.

"He is stable Tony, really. Stop doing that."

"Can't believe reindeer games had a kid before I did."

"Are you sure he's not a liability? Fury needs to know."

"Damn Asgardians."

He flinched. Fury was going to be told. The man had been spoken of many times in hushed undertones of many doctors and soldiers as the worked on and around him. The questions, the praises, the admiration and the fear… all of this one man. He let out a gasp of air, trying to breath at the name of the man who had decided his fate for almost three years.

"If fury does 'this' we cut it open."

"If Fury does 'that' we take out its eyes."

On and on it had continued. The amount of time was only remembered because of a single voice, calling out as he thrashed beneath the blue hands blades.

"Its been three years, lets stop playing with it and finish the job."

Everything before and everything after faded into a blur surrounding that declaration. Three years in a time stream of centuries. It should have been nothing, but it had felt like an eternity, tied to a slab of metal barely able to fit him.

"He's waking up, someone call Helen!" The shouting began and a light pierced the darkness. Maybe they would find mercy and kill him, what more could they take from him.

* * *

Pepper had never in her life expected to play babysitter to a megalomaniac Asgardian. Tony had been called into the lab when the injured boy was waking up and she had been left alone with Loki, who to be honest, wasn't doing much in the way of threats or causing issues. He was sitting cross-legged against the far wall, either sleeping or meditating. Whoever this kid was that had been brought in to the tower was of great importance to both Loki and the other Avengers. And apparently SHIELD had something to do with it.

"Be quiet." Loki snapped from where he was sitting, his eyes still closed. Pepper jumped slightly, she hadn't said anything, which she replied heatedly to the 'sleeping' god. He opened his eyes and gave her a disdainful sneer.

"Your thoughts are too loud, I cannot think." He sneered. Pepper huffed in exasperation; she dealt with Tony enough on a bad day that the taunts didn't really register. She was tired of all the egotistical men in her life, at this point she might as well be single with the amount of time Tony had for their relationship.

"Do you know how to calm your thoughts mortal? So that they are not projected to every mind reader in the nine realms." He was just being snippy now.

"Why don't you educate me then, if you are so great at picking up my thoughts." She snapped back, sorely disappointed when his smug look only grew worse. He sighed as if she had put him out then stood and approached the glass before sitting again.

"First you need to be seated comfortably." And they began. Loki was a good teacher really. He could explain why certain thoughts could cause issues to other sorcerers and how best to shield the mind from both others and yourself. And that was how Vision found them hours later, meditating.

* * *

Thor watched as his nephew looked around him. He was afraid and he showed it. The boy barely spared a glance at him though, preferring to keep an eye on Helen Cho and her assistants, their hands to be more accurate. He hadn't fought his bindings that held him to the medical bed, which almost everyone found strange. He didn't make any noise at all, preferring to try and watch everyone at once.

"So which one is he?" Clint asked glibly, coming to stand beside him as the others worked around them.

"Well, it truly depends on how he addresses Loki. Mother or Father." Thor tried to explain, but he could tell that Clint was both disbelieving and curious as to why this was important.

"Should he call Loki mother, then he is either Jormungadr or Fenris, as he carried both to term himself. But if he calls Loki father, then he is Vali. Possibly, but doubtful as father assured me that he had been… taken care of." Clint made a slight "oh" noise and fell silent. He may not like Loki, but so far his children had been tortured and vilified all their lives.

"He's Vali. Loki recognized him under all the dirt and grime." Tony informed them, strolling confidently into the medical bay to take a look at the rescued prisoner. Thor only turned back and nodded, his eyes sorrowful as he gazed at the frightened boy.

"Father assured me that he had been killed as well, that there had been no mercy for a kin killer. But now I see that he was wrong. I must speak to my father." And with that Thor strolled from the room, his mind heavy.

* * *

The people did not touch him quite as much as the others had. Their hands weren't blue or white either. Just hands. He tried to correct his mind when it found understanding them hard, but he hadn't heard a person speak either English or the other language in so long. His mind and his chest felt empty, as if something was missing. But something had been missing for some time now, since before the pain, humiliation and betrayal.

 _"Hermione, something is wrong. I feel… different."_

 _"Oh Harry. Do you need to go to the hospital wing?"_

 _"Harry Potter. Come to die."_

Someone was shining a light in his eyes. Then he remembered why he was tied to a bed again. There would be more experiments, until he had nothing left to teach them.

"Do you think we should bring Loki in here to show him that his son is safe?" Someone was talking and he tried to understand what he or she was saying. Loki was all he understood. But he knew the name well enough. He tried to say something, but his throat was too dry and too unused to being unused for speech. He gave up and lapsed into silence. Whatever they decided to do was what would be done. He had no say in it, just like before, when he had felt, at least a little bit, alive.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed.**

 **Please review! Its really not hard. But please give me something a little more than the standard "liked it" or "more" or even "continue please." I actually find those a bit unhelpful and tend to ignore them when they come in. If you really don't have the time to send me something really lengthy but want to show your appreciation, a simple favorite is fine. But if you really want to show your appreciation then please actually give me a review, not a couple words with no meaning behind them, you'll find that you are morelikely to get answers to questions or a reply from me by giving me more than just a "nice".**

 **Thank you!**

 **DNStalker**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Thor had never felt anything towards Loki's sons and daughters, mainly because he had never spent enough time to even get to know them. Only Sleiphner had been around long enough for him to know decently, but only ever as his fathers war horse. He knew that Loki had grieved them when Odin banished them. He knew that Loki had fallen into depression after his twin sons had been murdered, but he had always bounced back eventually. So no, Thor did not feel anything towards his nephews, except perhaps fear.

As he watched the catatonic boy on the bed, he considered what might have happened. Odin had said that "the kin killer had been taken care of" and none had doubted him. Yet here he was. The other wolf.

"How did you survive creature? The Einherjar saw you dead, they swore by it." Thoughts raced through his head as he watched the healing boy. He needed to know more. Yet he could not go to Odin, nor could he go to any in Asgard. It would cause a riot, knowing the kin killer was alive.

"Maybe Loki aided you, from that rock of punishment. I know not how he could have, but he is a trickster and a user of seidr. He surely helped you." Loki would pay the price for harboring a fugitive. He would speak to Clint and Natasha. They would aid him in doling out punishment. Then he paused. They held loyalty to their realm – justly – but also to their Captain. While Thor saw the mortal warrior as a companion, he felt that he was too soft on their enemies. That most who they ended deserved death, and by avoiding it only brought room for error. Dr. Doom was a prime example of this. They might want to aid him in this, but their loyalty would prevent them. He needed a solution.

* * *

Loki didn't remember the two years he had spent clinging to his sanity as he had hung from a rock, held in place by the entrails of his son. The other being hunted like a wild animal. He did remember coming home, and seeing the pelt of a wolf on his bedroom floor, its eyes gouged out and its tongue lolling. That was what broke his mind. The attack on Jotunheim had been the effects of his sanity ripping.

Thor had laughed at his horrified shriek when he had seen the wolf skin; his friends had taunted him for it for years afterwards. They couldn't understand it though. Why he was hurting, why he flinched when one of the Einherjar came too close to him, and that he still heard the screams of his children in his sleep. Thanos had taken advantage of his children, and used them to take control from him.

Now, one of his children had been returned to him. Vali had survived, and the wolf pelt had been a cruel taunt from the Warriors Three. He would never forgive Thor for that.

"Yo! Reindeer Games. We have a surprise for you, if you behave." Loki opened his eyes. The woman, Pepper, had gone but Stark had replaced her and was sitting cross-legged across from him.

"And what surprise of yours would benefit me so much, as to having me behave for you?" Loki was barely even looking at them, too absorbed in his own thoughts. Though they had interrupted his meditation, he could still sit in the peaceful dark.

"We will take you to see your son, if you promise not to try and kill us." It was patronizing in a way only Stark could be. He nodded jerkily and rose to his feet. The door opened wide, but he stood in one place preferring to check that it wasn't a trap of sorts.

"Its fine Rudolph. We're not that well prepared."

"You cannot fault me for being wary of you." The god did have a point, but it was hardly of any importance in their respective situations. Their Captain nodded sincerely and reached through the empty space between himself and the god to grasp his arm. It was an unexpected touch and Loki jerked away, before calming himself and stepping out of his cell.

He had expected a trap to be honest. But instead of a weapon blasting him to pieces there was a puff of cold air and the sound of the door sliding shut behind him. He noticed then, that Thor was not present. The idiot Aesir was strangely not there to stand over him and glower. It was strangely… odd, to say the least. Thor had always been there, through the best and certainly the worst. He felt strangely empty, but also relieved. Thor would not be there when he saw his son again.

"We will be there with you when you meet him again. We will leave one of us to guard you, to give you a bit more privacy." The Captain spoke softly once they had reached the doors that separated him from his only remaining child. Loki nodded once to show he understood. Their sentiment was wholly unnecessary and inconceivable. The doors parted and he could see the tufts of black hair, standing against the white that surrounded the body. He took a deep breath in and stepped into the healing room.

* * *

He was caught in a nice dream. His father was there with him, holding him and… crying. He tried to reach up to brush away the tears, but his arms were too heavy. He tried to say something, reassure his father that all would be well as he was there now. Then the dream faded, and he could see a yellow haired man sitting next to him. Mumbled words reached him, but the words didn't make sense. He wanted his father to come back and sing the strange song again.

 _I en skog en stue lå,_ _  
_ _Mannen ut av vindu så_ _  
_ _Haren hoppet lange trinn_ _  
_ _Ville gjerne inn_

 _Hjelp meg, hjelp meg i min nød_ _  
_ _Ellers skyter jeger'n død_ _  
_ _Kom du, kom du, vennen min_ _  
_ _Rekk meg labben din._

He couldn't remember what it meant, but it was soothing despite having to strain to remember it. The yellow haired men stood and left the white room. There was quiet again. He didn't really like it, truthfully. But it was better than the Blue-Handed-Men who spoke too loudly and hurt him. Their coats were an odd mixture of white and red. The red spattered over the white like a spattering of paint and there was a terrible screaming in his head.

Then, there were four people standing over him, a small man with gentle hands and kind eyes, a tall strong one who watched over him seriously, a smiling man with laughing eyes and a strange beard. Then there was his father.

 _"_ _Take Harry and run!"_

 _"_ _Just like your father! Arrogant, Lazy-"_

 _"_ _James was my best friend."_

It wasn't his father. His Gift –

 _"_ _Yer a wizard Harry."_

 _"_ _A seidman, just like his father."_

 _"_ _Lets see how the beast truly looks!"_

\- His magic reached out to the man who both was and wasn't his father. It recognized him and felt the familiarity. He opened his mouth, a word on the tip of his tongue. He tried to form the words, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate. He tried to reach towards him, but his arms were too heavy. He felt tears of both sadness and frustration leak from his eyes. He wanted his father dammit!

His father seemed to understand his frustration and went to him, kneeling beside him. His long, cold fingers took his hand and held it tight. The other wiped away the tears and the mucus that was slowly working its way down his face. He was gentle, his green eyes were gleaming with his own tears.

"Barnið mitt" (My Child) His Far (father) crooned over him. His hand had moved from his face to his hair and was slowly petting him, running his fingers through his hair. It felt nice. He leaned into his fathers hand and allowed a small smile to stretch across his face. His eyes drooped and just as sleep began to overtake him he could hear the beginnings of His Lullaby.

 _I en skog en stue lå,_ _  
_ _Mannen ut av vindu så_ _  
_ _Haren hoppet lange trinn_ _  
_ _Ville gjerne inn._

* * *

Loki smiled softly as his son drifted off to sleep. He had not felt like this in centuries, like a father. It was a good feeling, this one.

He had not heard the Avengers leaving the room, his eyes only for his son. The moment of peace and absolute serenity lingered shortly, before fading with his child's awareness. He could see Doctor Banner standing behind him. He seemed to be reading over some papers, but had kept an eye on his prisoner too. Loki wasn't foolish; he knew what would happen should he try anything. The hint of green around the doctors eyes made it obvious.

"Am I to stay here and watch over my child or shall you be escorting me back to my cell at any point tonight?" He spoke loudly, standing up to look squarely at Banner. The doctor hesitated a moment before fixing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. He was tired.

"Actually, I think we agreed that you should stay here. With… Vali, was it?" Loki nodded, assuring the doctor of his son's name.

"Oh? You would trust me not to try and escape?" He tried, arching an eyebrow in challenge.

"Well, I think JARVIS can watch you well enough, and even you know that your son is not nearly well enough to be running around and hiding. I don't think even you would risk your sons life if you didn't have to. That coupled with the fact that you are asking that in the first place…" The doctor trailed off, but Loki understood. He understood far too well. They had anticipated this and were prepared to hold his son just as captive as he was. He nodded jerkily, a bit o hatred seeping into his eyes.

His son whimpered from his bed and Loki put his hand through his child's hair to calm both himself and the little boy. He nodded again, calmer this time.

"He always could wrap me around his fingers, even as a child. He's not even conscious and he has me held tightly between is thumbs." Loki smiled slightly, enjoying feeling his sons' breath and life beneath his hands. Bruce smiled too. Loki was just like any other parent he had met. Protective and strong in the face of adversity, but just as gentle and proud when he thought no one was paying attention. It was a good look for him.

* * *

Thor switched the video feed off, looking down at his hands in shame. He had been mistaken. Loki was a father and a mother. He had forgotten that. He had forgotten how Odin was about the life of his children. He himself, had never been a father, but he was sure that there was more to it than teaching your children to fight.

"I understand now. I believe that I was wrong to judge Loki's son by his fathers actions, and to judge his father based on his misdeeds, rather than his sufferings." He choked out, tears falling down his face. His comrades behind him only watched him with crossed arms and stern looks. He felt ashamed, much like he had as a child when his father had reprimanded him. This, however, was a thousand times worse. He had already gone too far.

"I am afraid that the damage has been done already. The All Father knows of Vali's presence and has no doubt sent his soldiers to finish the job they failed." He could feel the disbelief, their fear. But most of all he could feel their anger.

"What does this mean for us then?" Clint asked quietly.

"The Einherjar are coming for Loki's son, and they will be coming to kill him."

 **A/N: Sorry this took so long, but my muse kind of vanished for a little bit. Took a month long vacation. Hope you enjoyed it. You all know the drill, no flames please, and give me a bit more than "nice", "liked it" or "can't wait for more".**

 **Don't feel like you have to give a review if you don't want to say anything else other than those things, but it would be kind of nice if you did. But you don't have to.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So this came at 1:32 am after getting home from a late night showing of Deadpool. Literally the greatest feat of Indy (the budget was so low it might as well have been) filmmaking.**

Chapter Four

Clint had never really thought about Loki's life before he had attacked earth. He had never considered the fallen gods actions as a reaction to a catalyst. Yet here Thor sat, his puppy dog eyes almost tearing up, telling them the story of Vali. It was a highly abbreviated and heavily opinionated version. Complete with bigoted and racist slurs against his adopted brother. All in all… it was sickening. The hate and disgust that Thor held for his brothers "treacherous ways" was alarming. Even Steve had needed to take a larger than usual gulp of whine. But the story that Thor conveyed was worse by far. The usually gentle giants had watched one of his own nephews' death, and then chased the other from Asgard with the intent on ending his life as well, but not before leaving his brother to the tortures of isolation and nightmares. It hurt to see Thor, as he truly was, but it was for the best. A long silence followed the story; the prince seemed to be awaiting judgement.

"I make no claim that I was in the right. But neither was Loki free of blame. He killed his own brother – Baldr – in jealousy, then claimed it an accident. His own lies brought him to his punishment." The final declaration made Natasha flinch, and Clint knew why. She had lost any chance of having children before she knew that she even wanted them. The thought of killing a child that was desperately wanted was hitting a little too close to home for her.

"We will need to think about this. But Thor… I am suspending you from acting as an Avenger, until we are sure we can trust you again." Steve stood and left the room, a hand rubbing at his mouth and his fingers twitching to hit something. The weight room was his first stop it seemed.

"I am truly sorry that it has come to this my friends, but I understand." And he was gone. The remaining Avengers sat in silence, barely daring to breath enough to create noise. Eventually they all went their separate ways, Clint staying put. He didn't want to feel the anger for Loki; he hated the idea of _understanding_. Yet, there was an innocent in all this. For all Thors posturing and foolish belief that neither Loki nor he was completely innocent, or completely to blame, he had forgotten that there were innocents in this situation - both of Loki's sons.

Clint sat and thought. It was all he _could_ do. Perhaps, he could pass the pity from Loki to his child. Feel something besides hatred to the continued bloodline of the Enemy. It was, in truth, barely anything, but still everything. The understanding towards Loki's son would do, and if not hatred, at least indifference to the trickster himself.

* * *

Loki could hardly remember the last time he had simply sat and read a book without thinking of schemes or consequences. But here he sat, his arm around his sons' shoulders. Vali had the strangest dreams, he cried out for people he had ever met and then cursed them in the next moment. He could only imagine what his child had been through at the hands of the HYDRA agents, and none of his imaginations were pleasant.

Still, here he was. Safe and sound however impossible it was. He turned the page in his book and allowed the story to swallow him. As promised, the Avengers allowed him his time with his son and did not disturb either of them. Though he could hear Banner scurrying around in the medical bay, papers rustling and metal objects being placed here and there.

He must have sat for hours in peace before Vali began to stir.

"Far. I have dreamt a terrible dream." Was all the still weary boy said.

"Oh? And what was this dream."

"I dreamt you dead, your body at the feet of a madman and the worlds were crumbling to dust." Loki tensed slightly before forcing himself to relax. He knew that often his magic in his children manifested in small ways, like being able to shift forms, but with Sigyn's gift of foresight, perhaps this was a second manifestation.

"Do you have these dreams often?"

"Aye. I dreamt of you falling though darkness and cold. There was no light. I felt suffocated. But then I would wake and the blue hands would hurt me, and I would forget." The admission of torture was purely accidental Loki surmised. His son was still tired. Perhaps he had better inform his on of his gift. One look at his pale face made him reconsider. He would tell him when he was well again. Banner seemed to have fallen quiet. He was listening in, that much Loki was sure of, but then so was Starks' house-spirit – JARVIS.

"Do not dwell on your dreams Barnið mitt. You are weary still." There was no reply, but he knew that Vali was still awake. Vali had ever been quiet and gentle, only as a wolf was he dangerous or remotley aggressive. He didnt know if Thor would still call his son Kin Killer, but he knew that outside Asgard Odins law held no jurisdiction. The self proclaimed King of the Seven Worlds was no more an almighty ruler than a cat a dog.

They sat in stillness a moment more before Vali's breath evened out and he fell back to sleep. There was silence again.

Ensuring his son was beyond consciousness Loki turned to face Banner.

"When will we be separated again?" Banner seemed almost speechless, he floundered for a moment before gaspng ut,

"um, never? Loki we have no intention of taking Vali away from you. He is your son, we have no right to him unless you pose a threat to his and our safety."

"Haven't I already proved how much of a threat I am to you."

"Yes. A year ago. But now you have more than yourself to protect." The finality of the statement seemed to be the end of the conversation. Banner was so assured that he would stay with his son that it was hard to disbelieve him. Loki stared at him a moment longer, trying to understand. Then he seemed to give up and looked away.

* * *

Thor had expected anger, if he was honest. He had also expected mistrust. He had never thought that Steve would remove him from fighting, it was like a punch in the gut to realize that you have betrayed someone so deeply they do not dare to even work with you. He had never considered that his actions would go _this_ badly, it was too late now though. Odin knew and had sent word that the Kin Killer would be brought to justice. Loki would never forgive him.

"Hey Thor." Lady Natasha stood in the door, her usually stoic face expressed hurt for barely a moment before fading into the blank mask she wore. He nodded to her before turning back to face the wall.

"I'm sorry that you were suspended from the team, but even you have to admit that you deserved that." Thor refused to answer, preferring to hang his head, ashamed.

"I assure you that I only meant good. I have seen that boy rend limbs from men in seconds flat. Despite his outward appearance, he is dangerous."

"If you had asked us, as a goup, what you should do then we could have come up with a solution that worked for everybody."

"Why are you here, Lady Natasha?"

"I wanted to know why. I am an agent of SHIELD so I know the loyalty you feel. I want to understand your reasoning for informing your father. And if you knew that he would demand Vali's death." They sat in silence, Thor seemed to be thinking and Natasha watched him carefully.

"In Asgard, Kin-Killers are the worst sort of traitors. Regardless of if they are high born or low born. It is a crime punishable by death. I knew that when Vali was turned into a wolf to kill his brother, and I knew it when I informed my father." And that was all Natasha needed.

"I see." She spun and left, leaving Thor numb and lost inside his own mind.

* * *

Steve stared at his fellow Avengers. It was crunch time. The decision needed to be made; totell Fury or not to. Natasha had relayed her findings in the brief discussion with Thor. He had known that by telling Odin he was sentancing both Loki and Vali to death, and that wasn't something Steve was comfotable with. The holographic screens that Tony had pulled up displayed Loki and Vali as they reconnected. Last night had been a turning point, in Loki's relationship with both his son and the Avengers – most specifically Bruce. He seemed to understand that they were trying to help him, and they had no intention of harming either him or Vali. Which was the crux of the problem. Would alerting Fury to Loki and his kids' presence in the tower lead either of them to harm?

"Well, now we know more or less where Thor stands. Which is the main reason he will not be included in this conversation." The other avengers shifted almost uncomfortably, Bruce especially. "We need to know what we are going to do about Loki and... Vali? Vali." Tony of course was the first to answer, his opinion heavy and loud, almost drowning out the others before they had even begun.

"Fury isnt an option. SHIELD will just put them both in a cage and throw away the key. Or try to get information from them, and when there _is no information_... they leave them." Neither Natasha or Clint spoke up in defense of the supervillain.

"Damn." Was the only thing Steve could think to say.

* * *

Vali jerked awake. There was something wrong. He could feel it. He had felt it before, and now it seemed completely wrong. He looked around, taking note of exits and hiding places in the room. A man was sitting, asleep, at a raised – bar like – table, his head supported on his hand. Another – Far – was meditating in a corner. There wasnt any escape.

A window cracked, the spiderweb drew itself across the glass in a deformed pattern. Then with a CRASH it shattered, throwing Loki and Bruce awake. Loki spun quickly, his magic already in his hand, the other was not to quick, nor as alert. In fact he seemed to be writhing in agony on the ground. An alarm began to sound. There was a moaning groan and, like Remus during th full moon, his skin began to bubble and stretch, getting larger and larger, greener and greener. Until, with an ear shattering roar, the Hulk stepped out of the remaints of Bruce Banner's clothing. His nostrals flared and murder in his eyes.

Vali turned his eyes to his far. He was pale, shaking, and his magic had evaporated from his hand. The Hulk let out another roar, and suddenly there was a woman in the room. Her plain shirt and pants suggested she had been inside almost all day.

Vali looked at the green creature, everyone seemed wary of it – scared even. He took a step forwards, then another until he was standing before it. The green creature snorted his displeasure at him being so close, but made no motion to crush him.

"He big guy." The woman almost crooned, "the suns getting real low." Vali reached out and lay a hand on the large muscles of its arm. It was trembling.

"You are beautiful. As green as a garden snake but as strong and proud as a hippogriff." The quiet musing brought the hulks attention to the tiny child. He stared at the green eyed boy and watched, mystified, when he tucked unto a low bow at the waist. Stunned, Hulk bowed back, and a calm descended over him.

He began to shrink.

 **TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The attack had come out of nowhere. Something had cracked the window to the med-bay, sending glass everywhere. Bruce had been asleep at the time and had woken with the Other Guy surging to the front of his awareness. His own consciousness forced into a corner in the Hulks tiny brain. Then he was back, shrinking faster than ever before. Someone stood in front of him, tucked into a low bow at the waste. Natasha stood off to the side. She looked gobsmacked, staring at Vali as he rose from his bow. How he had done it was a mystery, but at the moment there was a different, more pressing matter.

"Who attacked the tower?" He asked, looking around, expecting to see bodies laying on the ground, torn apart by the hulks massive hands. Instead there was nothing to suggest a fight.

"A darkness on the air. He tries to keep what was never his." Vali spke, his voice disjointed and afraid. "He comes with gifts for Death. She will not heed him. She does not see him. She wants only for her master."

"Who Vali?" Natasha asked, jumping in quickly, hoping to keep the injured youth on the topic. Vali glanced around the room and raised his hand, pointing at Loki.

"He comes." Vali whispered. "No Barren Moon, he said." Loki was pale and shaking, seemingly looking through his son. Any words he tried to form dissapeared before he knew he needed them.

"Thanos." Loki choked out. His eyes darted around the room, landing on the two Avengers in the room. He was shaking in earnest now, terrified beyond words at merely the name. "He said he would find me. He said that if I failed to deliver Midgard, he would find me and make me wish for something as sweet as pain." The once elequent god squeeked. His terror only mounting.

Steve, Tony and Clint burst into the room, baring their weapons of choice, searching for an intruder. They were soundly ignored. Bruce pulled Tony aside and explained the situation to him.

"We must go to Asgard." Loki whispered, his tone final. "T'is the only place we will be protected." He flinched even as he said it, hating the idea of returning to that place.

"And if you go, what will happen to you? To Vali?" Natasha asked, trying to get the god to see reason.

"I will be imprisoned for my crimes against the nine realms. Vali... Vali may remain here, but without my magic to hide him, the Einherjar will find him. And he will either be imprisoned elsewhere from me, or he will be killed." Loki hunched over himself, staring at his son, trying to memorise his grown face. Vali stared back.

"They said Barren Moon. This is no a moon."

* * *

Thor leaned against the door frame to the med-bay, listening. He could hear the stark terror in his brothers voice as he spoke of Thanos and Asgard. He had no knowledge of why his brother would fear his home, besides the inevitable punishment. Perhaps it was more a fear for his son? Thor stood silently for a moment, trying to remain undesturbed as he listened. So loki would return to Asgard then, willingly. He moved away, back down the hall to his chambers. Hugin and Munnin sat on his bed posts when he entered, their black wings just settling at their sides.

"I am conflicted father. Loki says that he will return to Asgard, but that his son will be killed by whatever seeks him. I would have him face justice, but... something does not sit right with me. My friends have suspended me fom Avenging duties and I am not to leave the tower. I fear I have made a mistake by informing you of Vali. Tell me what to do." Hugin merely cawed and flew from the open window. Munnin remained, watchful. There would be no reply tonight.

Thor lay on his bed, waiting for something to happen. The door to his rooms creaked open. Tony, Bruce and Steve entered. Their faces grim and slightly wary.

"Come sheild brothers. You have nothing to fear from me." Thor invited, hoping that his cheer would make them more comfortable with him again.

"We aren't here for a casual visit Thor." Steve began, from his voice Thor knew that he would not like the coming conversation.

"We need to know what would happen if Loki and Vali go back to Asgard." Bruce, gentle Bruce, demanded, a tint of green in his eyes.

"I see. You fear for my trickster brother. You needn't. Despite his crimes he is still a prince, and that protects him. He will be imprisoned for the rest of his days, or at the very least confined to his quarters until he is frail with age.

"Vali though. I cannot say. He is twice kin killer. He may be put to death, or he may be sent to be tortured until he confesses himself Kin-Killer before he is sent alive to the eternal punishment of Nivlhel, forced to wander until death takes him, and then left to wander Helheim." Thor told them, his face sinking lower behind his hair, trying to hide his face from his friends. They stood before him in silence made from horror. This was what Vali – an already broken child, _child_ – would be left to endure if he returned to Asgard.

"You understand that we will not let that happen, right?" Tony said, his voice hard and eyes like ice.

"I understand. But if need be, I will oppose even you if you plan to stop Asgardian justice."

* * *

Vali looked at his father. His usually pale skin was clammy and his face was porceline white. He was still afrraid. The part of him that was Harry was telling him to comfort him, to fight against whatever had hurt his father. But he didnt know who it was and he didn't understand. His father was sad. His father was hurting. But so was he. He had been hurt too. He had been hurt so much that his mind was a mess. The days he had been sleeping had helped sort out some of the mess, but he was still sorting through the memories of both Harry and Vali, trying to make sense of them. Everything was so confusing.

"Father?" Loki looked up, his eyes seeing Vali and not seeing through him.

"Yes Barnið mitt?"

"You are in pain. I cannot help you. I don't... I don't understand why. The Lingering Shadow has hurt you but my mind... I can't..." Vali doubled over, in pain. His hands clutching at his scalp, pulling at his hair. He let out a wail of complete anguish. His mind was a mess. His head hurt. This was wrong, this was all wrong!

"Vali! Vali! Listen to me Barnið mitt. Hear my voice. Calm, calm." Vaguely Vali was aware of the magic building in the air, his father waved his hand and Vali fell into an abyss.

His feet stood on solid metal, before him was a large throne. A large purple monster sat upon it, staring out into the abyss that was all of space and time.

"Thanos, the Linering Shadow. He Who Courts Death The Mad Titan." Vali whimpered.

 _'_ _So this is the bastard that threatens my family. All the innocents on earth and he would sacrifice them all for deaths favour.'_ Harry whispered in his mind, the memories coming forward. A snake faced man declaring his intention to kill all mudbloods, to take over the wizarding world and rule it as King. His madness gleaming through red eyes.

"He has hurt my father." Vali whimpered, trying to curl in on himself.

 _'_ _Our father.'_ Harry replied, almost possessive.

"He was mine first." Vali sulked. He hated having to share his father with the confusion created shade. Harry was him, but this split between them was wrong. He should not have to share.

 _'_ _I am as much you as you are me. We are not seperate. When our mind heals you will see this.'_ Vali still did not want to share.

"I know you are there, little mage. I can feel your magic. You are more powerful than even your father, Odin himself would tremble before you." Thanos low voice rumbled across the mixture of metal and rock, shaking the stars themselves.

"I would give you a preview of my power." And the world dissolved around them. The stars screamed and were burned out of even the memory of the universe. The planets scattered across the galaxy crumbled to dust and death itself came into being.

"This has not yet come to pass young mage. But it may. You have changed the fate of this world, you have given he who would be the destroyer just cause to turn against his master." With a gentle push Vali fell into a restful sleep.

* * *

Nick Fury read the report from two of his senior agents. They had reported that Loi had appeared on the battlefield, shortly after the Avengers had broken into one of the SHIELD medical research facilities and stolen one of the most volatile experiments. Natasha and Clint had not returned yet and this had been three days ago. Though the news had reported the Avengers returning to their tower there was still silence.

He looked over the report again. It was asking for permission to enter the Avengers Tower and retrieve the stolen property. He was hesitant to sign, to creae an enemy of Stark. But if there was a possibility of Loki controlling the most powerful teams in the United States... he would sign.

"Coulson, Report to my office immediatly. This is a level seven." He rubbed his temples, trying to stave off a headache before it appeared. Loki loved to be a pain in his ass didn't he. Coulson entered and Fury passed the signed form to his juniour commander.

"See that the right people get on this. I don't want this growing out of proportion. Attempt to contact Stark and find out whats going on. _Before_ you make an offensive move." Couldon nodded at his orders before heading out. Fury wanted to keep this as clean as possible. If loki truly was controlling the Avengers there would be hell to pay. But more than anything, Fury wanted to know what the stolen experiment was. And how volatile it could be in the wrong hands.

 **TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

A week had gone by since Vali's rescue and Loki's capture, and surprisingly SHIELD had kept their distance. Steve knew how invasive the organization could get when faced with an unknown variable. However, SHIELD was hadly the first thing on anyone's mind. Today, Vali would be allowed out of the Medical Bay and into the main floor. Loki had been behaving so far, but none of the Avengers were willing to allow him into their space, despite how gentle and patient he was around his son.

"I thought you weren't going to take him from me." Loki was calm and quiet when they broke the news. But Thor had explained that a calm and still Loki was the most dangerous of all.

"We won't be taking him from you. We just don't trust you. You will be able to watch from the screens inside the cell. After he returns to the medical bay, you can go back to him." Steve matched the fallen gods expressionless and cold stare with one of his own, trying to seem like he didn't care about what Loki might feel. The reality was quite the opposite.

"And what if I refuse? If I take _my son_ and go? What will you do then?' Loki was grasping at straws and they all knew it.

"Then we will have no choice but to contact Fury and have him set SHIELD on both of you."

"You would condemn my son to a lifetime of torture because I got away? You truly are the Golden Soldier of SHIELD." Loki hissed, practically feral at the insinuation that they would allow Vali to suffer more than he already had. Steve already knew that nobody would stand for it. Loki was fair game for Fury to interogate and ship back to Asgard, but Vali was innocent in his fathers machinations.

"Bad men with their blue blue hands, cold, cold cold cold cold. _Hurts._ " Vali whined from where he was peched on the bed, staring out the window up at the sun. Loki visibly deflated, giving in to their demands.

"I am going back to my special rooms, Barnið mitt. Be good for them, Barnið mitt, or I will not be reading you a story tonight." Loki gave his son a hug and kiss before heading over to Steve. His eyes warily on Bruce as he passed the doctor.

"I will be given a live feed from your communing rooms. If I find you have harmed him..." He let the threat hang in the air. Steve knew that he had any number of ways to exact revenge, it was a kindness that he was giving fair warning.

"I am sorry about this Loki. But Tony-"

"I know that Tony Stark worries for his phallic Tower. A statue for all to see how _great_ he is. But as long as my last remaining child is protected, I will not move against you. You are holding us hostage, Soldier. He is your bargaining chip, and I am your prize." Loki sneered, his face morphing into an ugly display of feral instinct and ugliness.

"That's not-"

"Be careful with how you use your bait, Soldier. You may ensnare the wrong prey." And with the parting advice, Loki slipped back into his cage and the door slid shut. Steve watched as he situated himself on the small cot they had provided, and stared up at the blank screens, determinedly not looking away, almost desperate for them to flare to life.

Steve left before they did, but he knew that Tony would keep his word. And even Hulk would keep Vali Lokison safe.

* * *

Harry knew something was wrong. He had been inside his mind for so long, allowing Vali to take control of the body they shared. They were the same, Harry knew that. Vali hadn't possessed the body of Harry Potter, merely flung himself so deep into his own body that Harry had manifested. And with the betrayal of his own people, Harry had forced Vali out into the world, unprotected. And they both had suffered for it.

But now, something was different.

' _Not wrong, just different.'_ Vali wasn't frightened or hurt or unbearably sad. He was _happy._

Perhaps... perhaps just a peek... a little peek never hurt anything... right?

* * *

Vali could feel the other, familiar, presence in his mind. The seperate, but whole, entity alive within his mind. Harry Potter, he remembered that name, vaguely. He trruly remembered very little about his time before the cage and the men with blue hands. But he knew that Harry Potter had lived a life outside of this one. He had had friends and people who loved him. Vali had nothing like this, except his Father.

' _Our Father.'_ The Presence whispered inside his head. He didn't like sharing. Not when Father was the only thing he had left.

"Vali, would you like to see the rest of the tower?" The man-beast asked, his voice was calm and nonthreatening. He held out a hand for Vali to take.

"Not blue." He whispered to himself, trying to reassure himself of what he was seeing. He reached forwards. The touch felt strange and almost foreign. Only Father could touch him, only Father had never hurt him. After another second of staring at the hand, and finding it unchanged, he took it. The man-beast ( _'Doctor Banner. Or the Hulk'_ ) lead him from the room with the huge window and the smell of medicine.

"This is the lounge, or Tony likes to call it, the Party Room." The man-beast lead him around the room, keeping close to the large windows (which Vali often found himself distracted by) as they circled the room. Talking casually at an oddly shaped table was a man with a glow in his chest. Like the invisible glow the Other People had when they had left him with the Blue-Handed Men. A woman with red hair and sharp eyes was across from him, both were drinking.

"Hello Short Stack." The Light-Man, raised his glass in their direction, then held out another towards the Man-Beast.

"Tony, its a bit early for a drink."

"It's never too early for a drink." Light—Tony – gave a quick smile, his eyes turning towards him for a second before flicking away, back to Man-Beast ( _'Doctor Banner. His first name is Bruce.'_ ). He mouthed something to Man – Beast, and it must have meant something because he took a sip. Man— _Bruce_ – pulled him towards a leather recliner (' _Couch.'_ ) and helped him onto it. A strange window sat in front of it. The window showed pictured of animals and forests. He found himself caught by it, unable to look away.

Until the Wolf came. It's blood covered jaw and it's evil snarl displayed for all to see.

Vali screamed.

* * *

Everything had been fine. Bruce, despite the initial reaction to a strangers hand, had led Vali out of the Med-Bay and into the lounge. Tony and Natasha had been placed at the bar, in hopes of keeping a peaceful atmosphere. The others had been shooed from the room.

Vali had done a circle around the room, often distracted by the sky outside and the birds circling around the tower. Even though it was odd for Ravens to fly around New York (crows there were plenty of), Bruce had let the strange child have his distractions.

Tony and Natasha had been drinking, because of course they were, when Bruce managed to carefully and gently drag Vali away from the windows.

"Hello Short Stack." Tony greeted them. Bruce could only give them a slight scowl, a little frightened of Vali seeing his anger and frustration at the billionaires choice of introduction.

"Tony, its a bit early for a drink." He chided, knowing that it was a pointless effort. Tony would stop drinking when he was dead from liver failure, or dead at the hands of Hulk because he had gotten Bruce intoxicated. Not that it would ever happen.

"It's never too early for a drink." He snarked back with the familiar, trademarked, Stark smirk, holding out a glass filled with liquid. Bruce noticed how Tony took in Vali out of the corner of his eye. Not quite trusting of the damaged child. Bruce refrained from taking the offered drink.

" _It's water."_ Tony mouthed, gesturing again with the glass for him to take it. And really there was no reason to refuse.

With the brief interaction with Tony out of the way, Bruce helped Vali over and onto the couch, allowing Jarvis to display a series of nature photos. They seemed to help settle Vali further.

"How is he?" Tony asked, just as Natasha stepped in with, "What's the word?"

"He's doing better, but I haven't been able to get him to say anything since this morning, before Loki went back to the cage."

"So he's a couple coins short of a dollar? Shame." Tony was trying to be flippant (which he really shouldn't try to be at all) . Natasha jabbed her elbow into his gut in retaliation.

"Should we alert Fury that we've picked up an Unknown from a SHIELD Facility, run by fake agents?" Natasha, ever the spy. Always with a second objective.

"No. They'd just take him in. And that could set him back big time."

"So we what? Keep Loki and his son here until we figure out something else?"

"Yes." Tony would never cease to amaze him. He had opened his tower as a second home to SHIELD agents, a man without a home, and the super soldier his father had neglected him for, as well as public enemy number one _and_ his son. And he had done it without batting an eye.

"Stark, Fury needs to know that-" Whatever Natasha was going to say, it was drowned out by Vali's screams. High pitched and terrified. His small body huddled against the couch, eyes transfixed by the image of a wolf. It's blood covered jaw and it's evil snarl displayed for all to see.

TBC

* * *

 **A/N: Thank You for everyone who keeps supporting me as I continue to post my chapters. I am trying to get through some writers block on Assets Weapon, and writing new stories or chapters for different stories helps me work through that. So an update for that one is coming, it's just having some difficulty arriving on schedule.**

 **Let me know what you think of this tid-bit in that section marked reviews. If you do I will sing a song** **J** **.**

 **Sorry about the delay in chapters, I have been working through it. I rewrote this chapter at least six times. I just couldnt find the right start. But I did, and here you go. So Yay me!**

 **DNStalker**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The furniture was flying. A large windstorm had picked up inside the suite and suddenly a tornado of glass and debris from the walls and ceiling had appeared out of nowhere. Tony had hit the floor before the floor hit him. Bruce wasnt so lucky. A vase had flown towards him and knocked him clean out. It was a mircle the ther Guy hadn't appeared really.

When Steve had appeared it had been a miracle. Natasha couldn't get through the flying debris just because of her stature. She was blown back or knocked away with every attempt, the last one giving her a wooden stake to the leg. Unpleasant. Tony, with his armour, could get through – but Steve was heavy and grounded. He could walk through with just his shield.

"What happened?" He demanded, ducking for cover when the couch arm went flying towards them.

"The screensaver went on. It was set to nature pics, and there was a wolf." They didn't need to say any more. He got it.

"Flashback?"

"Probably. I don't really know. He just started screaming then bam! Torando made out of my livingroom."

"What's the plan?"

The best they ended up with was to get into the center of the storm and talk Vali down. Simple enough.

* * *

Loki had felt his sons magic from his cage. It was chaotic and unbalanced. In a word – Feral. The magic was like his own, but shaped through years self-discovery. Vali was his son, but he had been someone else. Had lived as someone else until now. Whatever had happened above him, Vali felt threatened.

The Avengers had hurt his son.

Anger rising he called his magic to himself and pushed himself towards the call his son was putting out. Knives in hand he was prepared to strike down whoever had dared to lay a hand on his child, only to find the Iron Man wrapped around Vali, rocking him and crooning in his ear.

"We're going to get your dad ok?" The captain made to interrupt, but one look from Stark silenced him.

"Steve. Please just get Loki."

"No need. I am here." He banished his weapons and immediatly moved froward to take his son out of the Iron Man's lap.

He could feel his childs fear and was reminded of the event that had put it there. A bloody wolf, snarling at him from the Television – reminiscent of a snarling wolf his son had been forced into.

"Barnið mitt. I am here. You are safe Barnið mitt." He crooned, rocking slightly and breathing deeply. Vali's heart was beating a mile a minute, like a frightened animals. He hated the fear Odin and Thor had created, but more than that he hated that his child had suffered more than even he.

* * *

Harry didn't know how it had happened, one moment Vali was out and explorin gthe world beyond the hospital bay, the next he was slammed forwards and into complete consciousness.

 _'_ _I'm screaming.'_ Was the first thing he noticed, _'I need to breathe, calm down. Come on.'_ He sucked in a deeps breath, holding it for a moment before slowly letting it out. _'Regulate your breathing. Don't hold your breath, and don't inhale too much.'_ The wolf had long since faded into the picture of a lush green forest, a deer grazing unawares in the center.

"Calm down. Sh, sh. It's ok. You're safe. You're safe." Someone was holding him tightly and breathing deeply against his back, helping him get his breaths back into a stable rhythm. "Someone get Loki."

"Are you sure about this?"

"We're gonna get your dad, alright?" _'But James is dead?'_ He was confused and disoriented, unable to focus on any one person or voice.

"Steve. Please just get Loki." It must have been a while before he felt strong, comforting arms wrap around him. Whoever was holding him now was safe and familiar in a way nobody else had ever been in Harry's life.

"Barnið mitt. I am here. You are safe Barnið mitt." _'Father.'_ The title came to him from his memories of Vali. His father was here and he was safe.

"Safe?" He couldn't help but croak out, throat dry and aching from the screams.

"Yes Child. Very safe."

"Stay?" The childish plea made his face burn, but Harry could honestly hope that his father would stay.

"Yes, yes I will stay." And so Harry allowed his eyes to shutter closed, and rest to overtake him.

* * *

Thor felt the magic from his rooms. The magic of a child of Loki. The danger the creature posessed was unfathomable, and yet his Shield Friends did not see it. Odin had sent him a summons, to bring the Kin-Slayer before his people so that he may come to the proper punishment. It had come nearly four days ago, but still something stayed Thor's hand.

Perhaps it was the need to still be accepted by his friends, or perhaps it was something more he did not know. But the boy had enough magic in him to bring the tower down around their ears. Perhaps now his friends would see reason. The Kin-Killer had to be removed to Asgard. He could reign destruction down on Midgard, and with Loki beside him there was no doubt they would be successful. It was difficult enough to stop Loki the first time, but with another powerful _seiðmenn_ at his side, they could be almost unstoppable.

He had contacted Asgard already, but so far his father had not responded. He had received no words from either Odin or Heimdall. The Einherjar should have arrived as soon as his message had been received. Unless…

"Loki." Thor hissed. Loki had stopped Heimdall's gaze before, he could have easily have hidden Thor from his sight, and even easier still he could have hidden his son.

* * *

Loki had stayed with his son since the panic attack, and now that he had been rocked gently to sleep, partially assisted by magic, he stared at the Avengers that had surrounded him. The Iron Man was uncomfortable with them both so close to him but he hid his discomfort beneath snark and humour; Banner had disappeared almost as soon as he had been revived from his unconscious state, he had looked faintly green around the edges; and the Captain looked worn out just by being there. Loki couldn't say he blamed them though. They were used to defeating enemies that stood before them, enemies that they could feel and touch and beat. What Vali suffered from was purely mental and would take a more subtle hand to heal him.

"I suppose I will be taken back to the cage then?" He hedged.

"Actually… I think it would be better if you stayed in the Med-Bay with Vali." Steve decided.

"Umm, who's decision was this?" Tony looked affronted, but Loki could easily see through the false bravado, he was fine with the Captains decision.

"As fun as this fight sounds, I am tired and my child should be in bed. Not lying on the floor." Loki interjected, hoping to at least be given a place to rest before the day continued. It was only early morning and already he was beyond exhausted.

"Actually. I had a room made for Vali. You'll have to share a bed for now, but I'm sure you'd rather be in a space of your own than in the Med-Bay." The thought was much appreciated and entirely unexpected.

"But as soon as the kid is better, you'll be going right back down to the hulk-cage." Loki was not foolish enough to believe that his staying with Vali was without conditions. His freedom alone was condition upon his own behaviour and the fact that his son was recovering from torture and abuse.

"Of course."

* * *

 **A/N: Thank You for everyone who keeps supporting me as I continue to post my chapters. I am trying to get through some writers block on Assets Weapon, and writing new stories or chapters for different stories helps me work through that. So an update for that one is coming, it's just having some difficulty arriving on schedule.**

 **This is kind of a dull chapter, I know. I am actually considering taking this one down and starting again.**


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